Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 3 Dec 1996

Vol. 472 No. 3

Written Answers. - Report on Breastfeeding.

Noel Ahern

Question:

87 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health the results of the Department monitoring of the implementation of the initiatives to give effect to the recommendations in the report further to his reply to a parliamentary question on 25 June 1996; the progress, if any, which has been made in establishing co-ordination in this regard; the areas which have and which have not complied with having a resource person as identified in the report; when the national committee last met; if it is his intention to set up a statutory agency to oversee the implementation of the 1994 report; and the person/organisation which will provide the assessors to develop the baby friendly initiative. [23397/96]

Minister of State at the Department of Health (Mr. O'Shea)

The national committee to promote breastfeeding was established in 1992 to develop a national policy to promote breastfeeding. The national committee produced a comprehensive report with detailed recommendations. This report, A National Breastfeeding Policy for Ireland, was published by my Department in 1994 and was widely disseminated on publication. An internal working group was then established within the Department of Health to co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the recommendations made in the report. It is liaising with health boards and other organisations in the context of the implementation of the policy. Each health board has indicated that it has resource persons in place. The question of the provision of assessors for the baby friendly hospital initiative is under consideration.